(April 27, 2012) The Curtis Opera Theatre presents Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi, the timeless tragedy of Romeo and Juliet retold in soaring bel canto style, May 3 through 6 at the Prince Music Theater. The famous young lovers struggle to unite despite the bitter feud in this fully staged production with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, sung in Italian with English supertitles.

I Capuleti e i Montecchi is directed by Emma Griffin, and David Hayes ('89) leads the Curtis Symphony Orchestra. Scenic design is by Laura Jellinek, costume design is by Jessica Trejos, and lighting design is by Mike Inwood.

Performances take place on Thursday, May 3 through Saturday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, May 6 at 2:30 p.m. The Prince Music Theater is located at 1412 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. Tickets are $35 and are available from the Curtis Ticket Office at (215) 893-7902 or www.curtis.edu.

The Curtis Opera Theatre production of I Capuleti e i Montecchi is part of Curtis's 2011-12 Appassionato season, which features bold programming, enriched curriculum offerings, and exceptional special events that herald Curtis's enduring influence on music in Philadelphia and the world.

David Hayes (conductor) is music director of the Mannes Orchestra, professor of professional practice at the Mannes College of Music in New York City, staff conductor of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, and music director of the Philadelphia Singers. He recently completed a decade-long tenure on the conducting staff of the Philadelphia Orchestra, with whom he made his subscription debut in 1993 at the request of Wolfgang Sawallisch, and he has served as cover conductor for the New York Philharmonic, as well as for André Previn on the Curtis Symphony Orchestra's 1999 European Tour with Anne-Sophie Mutter.

Emma Griffin (stage director) is a theater and opera director based in New York City. For the Curtis Opera Theater, she has directed The Cunning Little Vixen, Wozzeck, The Rake's Progress, Postcard from Morocco, and Die Zauberflöte. Selected New York credits include: Salt and Target Margin theaters, Clubbed Thumb, New Georges, and Tiny Mythic/HERE. Additional regional productions include Perseverance, Geva and Coterie theaters; Syracuse Stage; Southern Rep; Actor's Express; Virginia Stage; and Williamstown Theater Festival.

She is a frequent collaborator on new music/theater pieces; currently developing projects include There is No There, There with writer Sybil Kempson; Big & Salty with performer Chris Wells; and The Three Christs, a new opera by composer Corey Dargel. Ms. Griffin is adjunct faculty at New York University, where she teaches directing. More information.

The Curtis Opera Theatre works with established professional directors and designers to create fresh interpretations of standard repertoire and contemporary works. All of Curtis's 25 voice and opera students are cast repeatedly each season in three to four fully staged productions at varied venues, receiving a rare level of performance experience. As a result Curtis graduates have sung with opera companies all over the world, including La Scala, Covent Garden, the Vienna Staatsoper, Houston Grand Opera, the San Francisco Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera.

The Curtis Institute of Music educates and trains exceptionally gifted young musicians for careers as performing artists on the highest professional level. One of the world's leading conservatories, Curtis is highly selective and provides full-tuition scholarships to all of its 161 students. In this intimate environment, students receive personalized attention from a celebrated faculty. A busy schedule of performances is at the heart of Curtis's distinctive "learn by doing" approach. This philosophy has produced an impressive number of notable artists since the school's founding in 1924, from such legends as Leonard Bernstein and Samuel Barber to current stars Jonathan Biss, Juan Diego Flórez, Alan Gilbert, Hilary Hahn, Jennifer Higdon, and Lang Lang.